Traditional Literature: A Different Point Of View

Have you ever heard the old saying, "there are two sides to every story?" How about the old saying, "think outside of the box?" Well, I went outside of the box on this one. We have all heard the stories of the wars with and the relocation of Native American tribes in our history classes. Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown is a gripping account of this history of these Native American tribes and nations told from the point of view of the Native Americans. Many accounts are retold from actual documents written by Native American Chiefs such as Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and Geronimo themselves. One of the most interesting accounts in the book deals with the Ghost Dance. The Native Americans believed that by performing this dance, they would become invisible and invincible to the bullets of their oppressors. They believed this would be the way that they could take back the lands that had been theirs for thousands of years. Little did they know that such actions would eventually lead to the demise of many men, women, and children.

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of our nation and the cultural diversity that has been a part of that history for many years. This book would be a great addition to any classroom or teacher to supplement lessons in social studies, history, or cultural diversity classes. I really enjoyed reading this book and could hardly put it down once I started reading it. Check it out for yourself.

Oxford Book Of Poetry For Children

As many of my friends know, I am a collector of anything vintage. I love old things and I also enjoy reading. This book combines the best of both worlds. The Oxford Book Of Poetry For Children features many authors and was compiled by Edward Blishen, with illustrations by Brian Wildsmith. This book was published in 1963.

I would categorize the book as an anthology of poetry, with contributions from many different poets. The book is broken down into various sections such as weather or animals, to name a few. Each section contains poems that relate to each section heading. This book is a teacher's dream when trying to incorporate poetry into other areas of study. The book contains poems that are appropriate for all ages, with some appealing more to small children and others a bit more advanced. I love the fact that I can integrate my lessons with poetry while teaching about science or weather.

One poem that I found really beneficial was the poem AEIOU.

                    AEIOU
     We are very little creatures,
     All of different voice and features;
     One of us in glass is set,
     One of us you'll find in jet.
     T'other you may see in tin,
     And the fourth a box within.
     If the fifth you should pursue,
     It can never fly from you.
                                Jonathan Swift

This is a fun little poem that grabs the attention of the audience with its rhyme and rhythm and its play on words. This poem would be a great tool for any teacher trying to teach a phonics class. The book is full of these fun little poems and I think any classroom would benefit from having it in the library. Check it out sometime! I am sure you and your students will enjoy it as well.

Introduction

Good morning! I am creating this blog as part of my Early Childhood Literature class. I am working on completing my B.S. in Education specializing in early childhood education. I will be covering several different types of children's literature throughout the next few months. Feel free to check in from time to time and leave comments. Thanks for following my blog.